but-kada nazdik kaba dur tha
main idhar hi rah gaya majbur tha

sham hi se hum kahin jate the roz
muddaton apna yahi dastur tha

wo kiya jis mein khushi thi aap ki
wo hua jo aap ko manzur tha

kuchh adab se rah gae nale idhar
kya bataen arsh kitni dur tha

jis ghadi tha us ke jalwe ka zuhur
arsh ka ham-sang koh-e-tur tha

ek hasin ka aa gaya jo tazkira
der tak mahfil mein zikr-e-hur tha

wasl ki shab thi shab-e-mearaj kya
dur tak phaila hua ek nur tha

har kas-o-na-kas se kya milti nigah
apni aankhon mein but-e-maghrur tha

umr bhar fikr-e-sukhan mein tha 'hafiz'
shaeri ka dil mein ek nasur tha